Signs your child might have a learning disability

Carolyn Sperry

Wednesday

Jul 28, 2010 at 12:01 AMJul 28, 2010 at 3:37 PM

Learning disabilities are not “outgrown” and can affect a person throughout his or her life, hampering academic and then career success. The good news is help is available, and the sooner a child gets assistance, the better. The first step is realizing there’s a problem.

Experts estimate that 8 percent to 10 percent of Americans younger than 18 have some type of learning disability.

These are disorders that can affect a child’s ability to understand or use language, do math, coordinate movements or pay attention.

Learning disabilities are not “outgrown” and can affect a person throughout his or her life, hampering academic and then career success. The good news is help is available, and the sooner a child gets assistance, the better. The first step is realizing there’s a problem.

“One thing we look for as a sign of a learning difference is a continual need for tutoring,” says Beth Ardell of LearningRx in Atlanta. “If someone continues to need tutoring time and time again, one should start to wonder about the underlying cause.”

However, parents often have a suspicion that something is wrong before the child is even in kindergarten.

In young children

Red flags in preschool-age children:

• Pronunciation problems.
• Slow vocabulary growth.
• Trouble finding the right word.
• Trouble learning numbers, the alphabet or the days of the week.
• Extreme restlessness, a very short attention span and a poor ability to follow directions or routines.

As they get older

Red flags in elementary school-age children and older:

• Reversals of letters and words when learning to read.
• Failure to pay attention to details or making careless mistakes in schoolwork.
• Difficulty sustaining attention.
• Difficulty following through on instructions and failure to finish schoolwork.
• Seems very disorganized and/or often loses important things.
• Has trouble reading charts and maps.
• Has difficulty mastering number knowledge (e.g. recognition of quantities without counting).
• Has difficulty with learning and memorizing basic addition and subtraction facts.
• Has difficulty learning strategic counting principles (e.g. by 2, 5, 10, 100).
• Poorly aligns numbers, resulting in computation errors.

How to get help

Usually, special education is the key player in helping a child with a learning difference.

The disability must first be diagnosed, which usually involves testing, a written history of your child’s difficulties and observation by a specialist.

Start by asking your child’s school or doctor how to find a specialist, such as a psychologist or neuropsychologist who specializes in children.

Once you have a diagnosis, recommendations can be made for special-education services within the public school system.